New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-18
ON FRANKLIN'S BIRTHDAY.
ANNUAL DINNER OF THE TYPorHETA.

BENJAMIN Franklin, when o }ourneyman printer
about 100 years ego. fond of experimenting on
the dietetic value OF oatmeal porrdge and strabout
and used to eat his dinner standing up at the csse in
bis paper cap and apron. His brawny arms the
envy OF his fellow workmcn in London who wondered
where the Water American managed TO acquire
the muscle which they strove in vain to cultivate
beer and the temperance lecturers whom he supplied
with this moral auecdote would preserve his name 10
I'm lying fame even " he had claimed the light
ming and carried the diplomacy of the New World INTO
the Court of Versailles. He dressed plainly, lived
frugaly and studied philosophy Sundays and was
inclined to discourage conviviaty. But there bsve
been many changes among printers since his time, be-
sides the stereotypng process and the cylinder press
and the hundred Knights Of tho Imposing Stone who
gathered last evening eight long tables in the big
dining room Of the Brunswick celebrated the 1Slst
anniversary Of his birthday as he certainly never
dreamed of celebrating it himself.
The banquet hall with it's grained and glded ceiling
and frieze of capering Cupids. ablaze with the
light from many silver candelabra and gttered with
flowers and ornaments. Above the president hung
q venerable portrait Of Franklin festooned with
smilax THE picture. which was painted in Parls, is
said to be 100 years old. 1t looks Though it might
be 5OO and the Of the painter lo't In oblivion
The decorations. which unusually elaborate and
fanciful comprised Spanish yalleons under full sail
with their guns run out swans IN glass ponds, re-
clinng camels elephants with velvet howdahs. and
Madame Angst figures which smoked cigarettes auto-
mptically and played Swiss airs. Tho toast card,
printed tinted paper in antique mssa type. bore on
the face medallion portrait OF Franklin and on the
reverse the society's device. Schwabs band play
Mikado airs in the gallery.
W. c. Martin president Of the society occupied the
chair On his tight at the table OF honor sat Colonel
md ~ 1nki tela
Reid. William Dorsheimcr and T. l.. Devinno and on his
left the Rev. Mr. stoddard. A. d. r. Randolph. Sson
Hutchins. OF The Washington Post. General stewart L.
woOdford and w. b. Laffan. Among the 100 others
present were NJ. b. Brown. Daniel Appleton. A. W.
wagnais. l. X Funk. Howard Lockwood. W. d. Harper.
W. j. Garfield John Foord. II. Harper. w. A. Harper.
j. r. Harper Arthur Turnure. j. ]. Little, DR.
Bliss and W. c. Rogers the secretary Of the organization
Letters and kilograms OF regret read from Congress
man Cox. Senator Hawley. joseph Pulitzer Henry Wat
terson. W. ID. Howels. Edmund G. Stedman ex-Gov-
ernor Rice. OF Massachusetts,; Robert C. Winthrop.
Secretary Manning. the Rev. Dr. Charles f. Deems H. o.
HoughtoD. Chsuneey NJ Depew. Samuel L. Clemens.
John R. Mclean Carl schurz. John Bigclow. Governor
Hill. Gardner g. Rowland. David III. Stone Bernard
Peters. George william Curtis and Parke Goodwin.
when the last the substantial had discp
peared and the strains Of the orchestra had died away
and the swapping OF French crackers aud laughter
the looming of fantastic paper caps had ceased the
cigars with smiles Of content President Martin then
rose Introduce the speakers. He said
GENTLEMEN THE TYroTHErx AND OUR WORTHY
QUESTS: believe 1t was characteristic OF the ancients
pat tho trumpet OF fame To his own lips and made him
self known ~ far rs p,'.be There wa, no interviewer
then. reporter daily paper What the man did
necessarily passed into tradition and later into history
But In these days man has only to exploit himself In
direction and the day after he appears In The morn
Ing Journals lLaughier We are more modest now.
We try to hide ourselves In my experencc "a printer
We fonn nd raj heFs her Va In la
trained ~ printer IA conceaDg himself In some other
ranks OF the eiors authors poets aud statesmen
whom the failtios offered him by the art he has
wears aeo was printing a weekly religious newspaper
when noted doctor OF divinity came In and asked 10
have an article set up | told hun we had no
himself which went IN without or correc.
elected president Of college iAppian,s As to our
organization. have formed since our last annver
dinner stronger affiliations with each other as mem
bers Of the trade ami have hal the satisfaction OF seeing
orr organization copied III ~ Louis II Is hoped that
II proper for ~ refer to Wire President John
s,sr asn name s 9uo s wherever the hs.t cYsoa
lApplausc.l
General Stewart L. woodford responded to "The
Press" the toast oHhe list IN witty and elective
speech Among other things he said:
In hehaif Of more pccuuious clients who absent
anghterl have sue great many OF you. and candor
me to LAY ina, as 81 ae Ssos who
sis next to President Martin told that retained
to say good word for the religious press ! told him
thought The religious. press needed 1t Laughter Then
gentleman who edits temperance organ trusted that
my would troubled with bronchitis as bis
IL Ilaughter because speak for the Temperance
press He said. Cant you say we are briilisnt
s siI1 '% rrprodScrs Itself IN prlnti ISHshIer
lawyer. know. always speaks most enicently when
his fee largest and his subject entirely unknown Now
have wondered what you have meant ranced Mt first
1t must he Something RELIGIOUS the name OF new sert
bald headed speetacied and visa He said. why. rs
s ssd es : T rss% he
theta Who'll thnI's types and settera" daughter
G %nsnft OF iSS
society or dog show LAUGHTER voice. Have yen
ter The press sometimes Tells dbs IA voice" Not
alont youl Well a. the press has never spoken kindly
the truth more frequently than many In public life
desire Appn'1 We may be sure y mat tss nss,
for the most part stands beside them. The
of the people always corerts the error. OF
n ., al 9a wfS OF scys e would lead
disregard the when right loud applause
President Martin in announcing tho next toast.
Franklin Of tho great forernDers OF our trsdo in
this country" sad that Franklin born "bour-
geois" In Boston, became the great primer" OF Phls
deIpha. and the nonparie statesman nt the
Court of France daughter stilson Hutchins. who on
rising greeted with loud applause. made humorous
response to this toast He said In substance:
encouraged TO believe should not have IN speak,
but find that relied upon broken Reid aughter and
now must say something to apologize for |
NOT saying anything. know little about Franklin.
think he great printer an sure he was great
philosopher know he a great inventor. He never
ran daily newspaper. however. and consequently has
survived the test daughter. am under great OBJ
legations him and have pref idices against him.
General W0odford has been very in his snrcasins
OF the press But, lawyer As he L. doubt whether he
would like t0 have to give. do 5000 opinion
some eruGte topic three hours notice. Our ability
be great but our willingness 10 very large We very
rarely find subject willing 10 tcsle. IL may
throw us. but you don't know It. tIanghter
publish paper In Washington chiefly advertise
ruei,t IIA,ughter.l Our sale IL not great In New
York and not able wholly 10
correct the faults Of tho metropolitan press but We try
As a body. editors getting to DO very opuient We
build statues; enllghten the world through our
paper some Of us In real estate vacations and
build tall aud let them-and wherever number
OF you gathered together come Ia free. Laughter
and applause when Mr. Taylor h0ie he will pardon
me for iue noupg his name, sorry cannot nllude